A serene morning by the banks of the Gam River in Pac Mieu.

Unexpected journeys always bring me a few delightful surprises. Pac Mieu - the town by the Gam River and its bustling market is one such delightful surprise on a chilly day in the northeast.

A serene morning by the banks of the Gam River in Pac Mieu.

1. It seems I've never had much luck with Highway 34 from Meo Vac to Cao Bang. No matter when I travel, I always find myself navigating through the twilight, reaching the town of Bao Lam when the sky is as dark as nightfall. The undulating mountains beneath the dark sky and the rustling of forest leaves echo outside the car window. The weather forecast predicts autumnal winds tomorrow.

As we pull up at the largest hotel in town, the sight of several big tourist cars parked tells us the situation. If Meo Vac and Dong Van are fully booked, chances are tourists will be directed to seek accommodation in Bao Lam (Cao Bang).

Rooms and food are evidently scarce. We split into two groups - one heads towards the market to find lodging, while the other ventures into the kitchen to see what's left to eat.

Fortunately, though there were no delicacies, there were some fried eggs and stir-fried vegetables for dinner. It's even better that the guesthouse is located right by the banks of the Gam River, where opening the door in the morning reveals a view of the mountains.

The towering green cliffs lining the riverbank create a picturesque scene, with houses scattered in various styles amidst the rocky terrain and shallow streams.

As we gaze at each other with regretful expressions, imagining a Buddha statue or a great figure carved into these beautiful cliffs, one can't help but wonder why Bao Lam lacks any captivating wonders like China's Leshan Giant Buddha or the Rushmore National Memorial near Keystone City, South Dakota, USA...

2. Heading to the market. Coincidentally, today is market day. The official name of the district town where our guesthouse owner struggled to pronounce last night is Pac Mieu. Every fifth and tenth day of the lunar month, Pac Mieu holds its market day.

Pac Mieu market is a bustling hub for trade among various ethnic minority groups such as the Dao, Mong, San Chay, Lo Lo, who reside in the surrounding area. Situated right on Highway 34, the transportation here is quite developed.

As a result, besides essential items, there's a variety of goods from the Kinh people or imported from China. It's evident that the locals here embrace a blend of traditional and modern attire, especially the young women.

Traditional garments shimmering, adorned with splendid headdresses, yet underneath, wearing trousers and platform shoes or sandals, sometimes even paired with a shirt or T-shirt mixed with Hmong skirts, that kind of style. It's both strange and... somewhat melancholic.

Travelers are inherently selfish, wherever they go, they only hope for the preservation and promotion of traditional culture, maintaining what is called ethnic identity. But as the Kinh people travel from the plains to the mountains, along with the development of tourism, everything will inevitably change as a natural law of life.

So when stumbling upon a lively buffalo market by the banks of the Gam River, us travelers who accidentally strayed from the road became ecstatic.

The round, sturdy buffaloes, with imposing shoulders, shiny black hides led to the market, mostly men, with a few women scattered among them in the roles of buyers and sellers.

The Bao Lam buffalo market is renowned, though people often speak more about the cattle market, yet at this moment, I see that the majority here are indeed buffaloes on the vacant land.

A local in Pac Mieu mentioned that the buffaloes raised in Bao Lam are usually very fat and fetch good prices, with delicious meat, so sometimes people from districts like Meo Vac, Bac Me (Ha Giang), or Bao Lac (Cao Bang) bring their buffaloes to Bao Lam to raise and sell at a good price.

Buffalo drivers are easily recognizable by their stylish attire compared to the buffalo owners. Many people gather around, observing, discussing, bargaining. There's already a large truck ready on the road, whenever a buffalo is sold, the driver climbs onto the truck to transport it back.

3. It's not surprising that when wandering around the town in search of breakfast, the instincts of seasoned wanderers from the northwest always lead us to the best local eatery in the area. Mrs. Lien's Pho restaurant.

As soon as we sit down, we notice locals at the next table nodding in approval, recommending the most famous breakfast spot in Pac Mieu, serving pho with chicken, roasted meat, and sausages. The dried pho noodles, made since yesterday afternoon, with home-raised chicken and pork, locally stuffed sausages are firm and lean.

Since the chicken is sold out, we order a bowl of roasted meat and sausages pho. The roasted meat is delicious, but they refuse to sell more as they need to save some pho for others. When the landlady pours broth into the bowl, I gesture for a little broth, and she straightforwardly replies that a little broth is enough to eat.

It's as if moments later, the dried pho absorbs the water, swelling up, filling the bowl, no matter how little broth is given, we still have to ask for more broth to eat.

Adding some coriander and Vietnamese mint, the aroma of the countryside wafts into the bowl. It's been a while since we've had such a simple yet delicious breakfast away from the city.

According to Giang Nguyên/Tuổi trẻ

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Reference: Travel guide Mytour